


Old Friends and New Hopes

by ShaneDarkwin



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Happy Ending, Not Beta Read, Post-Order 66, Some Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-27
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:34:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22439581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShaneDarkwin/pseuds/ShaneDarkwin
Summary: In light of a dangerous undertaking to provide the rebellion with valuable information, an old friend reveals herself to Senator Riyo Chuchi.or: our lives are at stake right now so i'll let you off but this fight isn't over
Relationships: Riyo Chuchi/Ahsoka Tano
Kudos: 49





	Old Friends and New Hopes

**Author's Note:**

> i tend to ramble so if you don't like that, feel free to skip this 'introduction'.  
> when i wrote this i had this fic filed under "random riyosoka" but then i fit some minor plot in the relationship examination this started out as and what can i say, i ended up liking this a lot more than anticipated.  
> i actually did my very best to stay canon compliant but i haven't managed to get my hands on the Ahsoka novel yet so forgive me for any errors that occurred.  
> the summary is very basic but it fit the tone im trying to convey here. something this serious is not my style at all usually but this entire fic was just an experiment. so if you end up enjoying it all the better and maybe leave kudos/a comment if you want!

"Senator." 

She had recognized the all too familiar body language the second she had entered the ballroom. There wasn't many sentients who could walk with their head held high and hands clasped behind their back and yet still radiate an aura of humility and power.

Before the Pantoran had a chance to speak she was handed a thin, fragile appearing glass filled with a deep purple liquid. 

"We'll need to be quick as to not blown our cover. Follow the directions on the chip and meet me at the location that was agreed upon."

She traced her fingers along the smooth surface and felt the edges of a tiny data chip on the underside of the glass, concealed by the dark contents within it. With a court nod she gave indication that she had heard the hushed sentences and then put on the most cordial smile she could muster. 

"Thank you," she said loudly enough for the surrounding attendees to hear, letting her gaze drift through the vast hall. Not that anybody would have cared about anything outside their own affairs and conversations but Riyo wasn't taking any chances. There was too much at stake this evening to let her guard down. 

Bowing her head lightly the person in servant dress before her whispered: 

"Don't enjoy yourself too much without me." 

The words were still hanging in the air when Riyo turned her head but the cloaked figure had disappeared into a crowd of pompously robed politicians. Riyo bit her lip to keep from scoffing and shook her head slightly as she went to attend her senatorial duties of shaking hands and using polite words to convey grave messages. 

* * *

"That is what I call 'unnecessarily close'." 

"You're too uptight, Chuchi. No one's even noticed you're gone and we'll be down again in no time."

"Are you telling me to loosen up?"

The Togruta hesitated, even her movements stopping dead in their tracks ever so slightly and she deeply hoped that the young senator hadn't noticed. 

"I wouldn't dream of it," Ahsoka answered and put on a winning smile as she extracted the chip from the holocron. She flashed the stern looking Pantoran her smile and held up the chip between her thumb and index before levitating it over to her using the force. 

Riyo snatched it from the air with a flick of her wrist and slipped it into one of the artistically drabed folds of her dress just above her collar bones. 

"Show-off."

For a moment the younger sentient considered whether to take the comment as an insult but then shrugged her shoulders. There was some truth to it, after all you needed a reasonable amount of skill in order to show anything off in the first place. 

She crossed the distance between them with no more than four steps, pulling the hood of her cloak up to cover her montrails that were just starting to curve at the tips and offering her left arm to the senator. 

"Shall we rejoin the party?" 

* * *

"Senator, what an honor that you're finally gracing us with your presence."

"There was no way in the galaxy I would pass up the chance to converse with the most renowned tradesmen the Galactic Empire knows." 

Her tone was sickly sweet but couldn't take the edge off her words regardless.

The Neimodian that had adressed her kept his eyes on her, their red colour making them seem like emotionless and endless pits. Not that their hideous sight would have made Riyo step down from the staring match that was taking place between them. 

Riyo had despised the Trade Federation ever since she'd accepted her place in the Senate but blockade meant to force her home planet into a Seperatist contract and abduction of the King's daughters certainly had sealed the deal for her. Although the Federation itself had ceased to exist soon after the Old Republic had fallen, Riyo's distrust persisted. 

It doesn't mean all Neimodians are criminals, she heard Padmé Amidala's voice in her head. Her inofficial mentor and friend had brought this argument forth whenever the topic of the Trade Federation had come up to which Riyo would seldom more than nod dismissively. She harboured the utmost respect for the Naboo senator and would never dare say a word against her but not even she had managed to change Riyo's mind when it came to this. 

"Could I perhaps interest you in some refreshments?" 

Riyo jerked her head to glare at the eerily familiar figure that had intercepted the triangle. _The nerve._

The Neimodian fraction broke into chatter at the offer and cleared the tray that was being held under their long, ugly faces. 

Without another word, Riyo turned on her heel and, as gracefully as her rage permitted, made her way to the opposite end of the voluminous Hall. She had successfully reached the entrance to the corridor leading to the restrooms when the cloaked servant caught up to her. 

"Riyo, wait, where are you-" 

"Stay out of this. We're done, we did our part and everything from now on out is none of your concern anymore. We are on the same side but our lines of work are nothing alike. You do not care for politics and I kindly ask of you to not interfere with my business."

The surprise, although shock may be a more fitting description, on the Force wielders face added a ping of guilt to Riyo's anger but she couldn't let that affect her. This was not the night for her to succumb to feelings that should have faded a long time ago. So she broke away once more and made it inside the restrooms before she heard someone enter behind her. 

All of Riyo's restraints seemed to break away when the door seized close and she spun around so suddenly the Togruta flinched back. 

" _What_ do you want from me?" she snarled and stepped up to her. To her surprise the experienced fighter backed away but it wasn't enough to make Riyo regain her senses. First the friendly banter, now this suffocating concern and overbearing desire to protect her. Riyo knew it was a mistake but gave way to her anger anyway. 

"You have made your intentions perfectly clear. You help me out with this operation, move on to your next target. We're allies but our relationship ends at that. You have made that perfectly, unmistakably clear." 

_A_ _couple of days ago she had received a message from someone claiming to be an old friend looking to lend her a hand with a delicate project of hers. In spite of her better instincts Riyo had complied to the request of this anonymous beneficiary and gone to a bar in the lower levels of Coruscant. While not illegal, it was highly suspicious for someone of her status to detour to places like that and she had taken the necessary precautions to keep a low profile, of course._

_Shortly after her arrival she was approached by a stormtrooper demanding she follow him to one of the private quarters in the back of the establishment. She internally cursed herself for her foolishness, that she should have known this was a trap but the damage was done. Weighing her options, Riyo had decided that she didn't stand a chance against a trained soldier of the Galactic Empire either way and would rather die with pride, executed for 'treacherous acts' than by a blaster bolt to the back. Head held high she had stepped into one of the darkened rooms and nearly exclaimed in shock when the person before her was not an Imperial Guard but an old friend indeed._

_Before her in all her beauty and power stood none other than Ahsoka Tano. The stormtrooper next to her had removed his helmet and she introduced him as Captain Rex. Riyo had heard of him in the stories that Ahsoka would tell her during the Clone Wars, back when things had been simpler. She'd shaken the thought quickly but what remained was the longing in her chest._

_Their conversation had been brief and fruitful, yet emotionally challenging and somehow unsatisfactory for Riyo. Apparently the two had ties to Bail Organa and a group of rebels in a core system by the name of Alderaan through which they had taken notice of Riyo's personal vandetta._

_After the Trade Federation had been nationalised by the Emperor the few leaders who had remained alive seemed keen on keeping their rage a secret. It was by no means a well kept one but as long as they refrained from voicing their discontent they were in no immediate danger. Riyo despised them for their spineless way yet even she had to admit they understood the mechanics of staying alive in this hell. Rumor had it, however, that they still possessed a rather significant amount of crucial information about trading routes, shipment rates and fleets now employed by the Galactic Empire. As soon it turned out there was a good chunk of truth to these speculations there hadn't been much anyone could have done to keep Riyo from putting her little mission to action. She would attend the annual celebration in honour of the Empire's institution which was conveniently held in the halls of what used to be residence to trade guilds and steal away once the party had gotten started, find whatever information she could gather, then rejoin the event downstairs so she could vacate the premises later on without drawing attention to herself. It was a simple enough plan that, if successful, would provide the resistance with targets to weaken the Empire's supply lines._

_Riyo had reluctantly accepted their help. She knew that a former Jedi and an experienced soldier who also happened to blend in with the Emperor's dogs would make for great assets. Yet what bothered her where her own emotions when it came to this particular Force wielder. There had been a sufficient amount of confusing feelings for Ahsoka back when they had been friends already and seeing her again after all that had happened didn't exactly ease her internal conflict. If anything, it added to it._

_The young woman she had before her now was almost unrecognisable. She was much taller for a start, but it wasn't her height or the length of her lekku and montrails that spoke of change. It was the expression in her eyes when she talked, the way she would avoid looking at Riyo directly during their conversation, the physical distance she kept at all times as if she was scared of what would happen if she got too close._

_They had parted ways that night with a tediously crafted plan between them. While she and Ahsoka would obtain the information they needed, Rex would stand by with a ship to make a quick get-away or as back up if needed. While it was only a Plan B since those options would expose Riyo as a traitor, she was glad to know this safety was in place._

_Before she had made her way back to the upper levels, Ahsoka had taken her aside and told her in a low voice that Riyo had to understand that this mission did not mean she would come back. There had been more than that, Riyo could tell, but she didn't want to hear it. She had cut the Togruta off and said not to worry, she would never expect her to. She had ignored the calls of her name as she walked off. Riyo didn't look back._

"I stuck to your conditions. Always. When you were still with the order, I knew you were forbidden to form attachments. I never brought it up out of respect for your loyalty to the Jedi. And then you vanished, without a trace, without farewell. But I never held it against you upon your return. Then the Republic fell and I thought you lost forever but again, you came back. And I obeyed once again when you asked not to inquire about how you and Rex made it out alive. I stuck to your conditions, no matter how much it tore me apart.So please just answer me why it is that you cannot do the _one thing_ I ask of you, Ahsoka."

"Because you have no idea of the target you're painting in your back by searching for this kind of confrontation." 

Her voice was barely more than a whisper and the fragile sound of it caused Riyo to blink. At once overwhelmingly aware of how little space there was between them, she took stepped back. 

"I am truly, deeply sorry for the pain I've caused you. I know I imposed but it never-" 

"Ahsoka, please. Don't." 

Riyo held up her hand. She had her back turned to the taller woman and squeezed her eyes shut. This wasn't how she had pictured this evening to go at all. She had expected complications in their plan to steal sensitive information about the Trade Federations connections to the Imperator but they had been more along the lines of blaster substituted extraction from a formal event. At the very least they had been nothing like whatever this classified as. 

"Can we just go back to the ball and get this evening over with?," she mumbled and went to walk past Ahsoka when she felt a hand close around her wrist. 

Just as she was about to sigh and delve into all the reasons this was a pointless debate again she felt herself being pulled back against the other woman's body and before she could react there was a hand clasped over her mouth. 

And then she heard them too. 

"They can't have gone far, you take this section and I'll check out the upper level. We'll have their position before the end of the hour." 

Imperial guards. 

All of her anger suddenly evaporated Riyo let herself be dragged into one of the cabins. Maybe she was getting that fire fight after all.

Ahsoka gave her a look that read 'Wait here' and for a change Riyo didn't feel like arguing. She nodded her head and began to detach the various attributes of her formal gowns to gain the mobility and range she would undoubtedly need. Riyo pulled the blaster from the holster on her thigh as she heard the quiet whirr of the door as it opened and she held her breath. 

Agonizing seconds passed and then she heard the sound of choking, a blaster being fired and a dull thud. 

The door whirring anew janked her out of her focus. Pushing her back up against the thin wall of her stall Riyo grasped the blaster as tightly as possible. Light footsteps strolled through the entrance, passing by the sink and coming to a stop. 

"You have every reason to but please don't shoot me."

Riyo released a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding and pushed through the door, joining Ahsoka in the open space behind it. 

"You're lucky I can manage my emotions better than you." 

The words had left her tongue sounding harsher than intended but Riyo supposed it wasn't entirely unfair. 

"Ouch. But I guess I deserved that," Ahsoka agreed and nervously traced her fingers over her lekku. 

"Only one?" 

Riyo wasn't going to spend anymore time in there than absolutely necessary. There was a very real possibility she had been busted and her life was going to drastically change from this moment on but to find out she would first have to make it out of this building alive. 

After confirming that the corridor was clear Ahsoka instructed her to follow her closely. They actually made it to the servant exit they had previously elected to be the point for extraction when trouble caught up with them. In this case, in form of two more stormtroopers. 

Ahsoka cursed under her breath as a blaster bolt sizzled past her head. Before Riyo could even react she was already behind her and reached out with the Force, sending the shooter stumbling and falling over. 

The other one had thrown himself off to the side, raising his blaster from the floor. 

Before he had a chance to pull the trigger, a nearby tray went flying into his helmet and his head hit the floor hard, probably unconscious. 

"Let's get out of here before they send more." 

They turned around to make their exit when Riyo caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. 

"Ahsoka!" 

The first stormtrooper had recovered more quickly than they had expected and was determined to end what he started. He pointed as Riyo took aim herself. She fired as next to her, Ahsoka fell to her knees. The clone's head rolled back, a dark hole burned right through his chest. 

She dropped to the floor next to the injured Togruta, readying herself for the worst, when:

"Nice shot, you pacifist."

A million thoughts crossed Riyo's mind in the moment their eyes met, Ahsoka's face painted in a pained yet teasing expression. 

"I will never understand how you managed to survive a war," she muttered as relief mixed with the adeline in her blood. 

* * *

"That wasn't necessary." 

"I saved your life, there's only so much I can do in one evening." 

"Why save me if you just end up killing me in traffic?" 

"You're insufferable sometimes. Go on and fend for yourself, Fulcrum." 

With that Riyo let go of the taller woman's arm around her neck and stepped to the side, watching her limp a couple of steps into the ship and then heavily lean into a wall before sliding to the ground. The clone who had opened the ramp for them upon their arrival let a puzzled look drift from his injured friend to the angry Pantoran.

"Not a fan of the name?" Ahsoka asked from her spot on the floor and then waved at Rex, lopsided grin on her face. 

Riyo stepped over her and took a couple of steps into the ship and disappearing into the shadows. 

"Judging by your state and her presence I take it things didn't go as planned," Rex concluded as he heaved Ahsoka to her feet.

Pain shot through her side and she inhaled sharply before taking a couple of unsteady steps towards the doors of the cockpit.

"You're right on the money, my friend, and we need to get out of here before someone finds us." 

The doors opened with a mechanical hiss and Ahsoka willed herself into the pilot's seat more than anything else. Exhaling deeply, she closed her eyes as Rex entered behind her. 

"While I agree we need to get going as soon as possible, are you sure it's a good idea to fly in your condition?" 

With a groan Ahsoka sat up straighter in her chair and pressed a number of buttons on the control panel. 

"I'm fine, I'll take care of this once we're in hyperspace. We cannot take any risks right now. We even took a speeder here because we didn't dare risking you drawing unwanted attention to yourself." 

She could tell Rex wasn't satisfied with her answer but he knew better than to argue. 

They both stayed silent on their way out of Coruscant and out of its atmosphere. As soon as they had made the jump into hyperspace Ahsoka fell back in her chair, squeezing her eyes shut once more as a wave of pain rippled through her body. 

"I'm no medic but…" 

"I know, I know. I'm already gone." 

Suppressing a groan she pushed herself up and took the first tentative steps towards the doors. 

"Uh, Rex, could I ask you to-" 

"I have no intentions of leaving this cockpit until we reach Alderaan." 

She looked back at him and his reassuring smile said everything she needed to know. Nodding thanks, Ahsoka readied herself for the battle about to occur and left the safety of the cockpit to find Riyo. 

* * *

Her head was in her hands but there was nothing to hold back the thought that echoed in her mind. 

_The Empire now knew she was working with the Rebellion._

After their more-successful-than-not escape Riyo had stopped by her apartment to grab what little belongings she couldn't do without. Everything she owned was now confined to the bag sitting at her feet. She had lost her entire career, her status, her home, everything she once thought to be the core of who she was. But strangely, she barely felt she had lost anything at all. 

"I know you don't want to hear it but, thank you. For that rescue but more importantly, for uh, not giving up on me."

Riyo raised her head and saw a sheepish looking Ahsoka standing at the opposite side of the room. She leaned against the wall and had one arm clutching the side that the blaster bolt had hit her. Although Riyo was still a long way from forgiving and forgetting, she nodded. 

"It's alright."

At that Ahsoka slowly and cautiously limped over to where Riyo was sitting. As if she was reconsidering she hovered there for a moment but then lowered herself to the seat next to her. 

Silence fell over them and Riyo caught herself relaxing. She truly didn't want to but the other woman's presence still had a calming effect on her.

"Can I ask you something?" 

"I assumed maybe I would get to ask some questions for a change," Riyo snapped but apologised immediately, "sorry, I'm not exactly over it but, go ahead."

Ahsoka grimaced. 

"Why did you stick around? You didn't need to. You had no obligation to. But you chose to stay on my side even though I was horrible friend. And I tried so hard to come up with an explanation but after tonight I just, I can't find one."

A coarse laugh escaped Riyo's throat. 

"You're unbelievable."

She got up and paced what little space the ship had to offer. 

"How can you be so smart when it comes to war," she continued, "but so utterly and completely clueless when it comes to emotions?" 

"You're frustrated with me."

"I- Ahsoka I've surpassed frustration many rotations ago. I know that this is just who you are and I've made my peace with it."

"Riyo, what you said about the order and attachments, what did you mean by that?" 

Okay, maybe she was better at the emotion part than Riyo was giving her credit for after all. 

"I don't--it isn't important. That was all a long time ago."

Riyo turned once again to walk to the other side of the room only that she found she couldn't because Ahsoka was blocking her way. 

"It's important to me, though."

Her gaze was soft and drenched in a pain that was unlike anything Riyo had ever seen on her face before. It reminded her of the longing that Riyo had tried to mask for all those years but she must be projecting. Because it couldn't be.

"Ahsoka…" 

Unintentionally Riyo took a step back. She wasn't equipped to deal with this right now. Her entire world had just been turned upside down and this wasn't doing anything to help with that. 

But the taller woman didn't seem to care. She took a step forward and Riyo wanted to stand her ground but couldn't. This was all too much. She flinched back again and before she knew it she was the one backed against a wall this time. 

Accepting her defeat, Riyo decided that if she wanted answers, answers she should get. And so she let herself feel all the things she had pushed down for years and with the emotions came the words. 

"You want to know why I stuck by you?" she said challengingly, straightening her posture, "Because you were more than a friend to me. You were someone I looked up to, someone I appreciated and felt was worth fighting for. A year before you left the order I realised, my appreciation for you went far deeper than the innocent friendship I had taken it for but there was no way that was going to happen because you Jedi lot aren't allowed attachments. And I wasn't going to put myself through the pain Padmé suffered every day, so I sought the space I needed. It didn't make my feelings disappear but at least I managed to gain a handle on things."

While she spoke Riyo regained some ground, not by active force but rather it seemed to be the impact of her words. 

It appeared that now it was Ahsoka's turn to be overwhelmed by the unfolding events and Riyo's turn to disregard her feelings and press on until she had said her bit entirely. 

"When they framed you, I stuck by you. We would have lost that vote by a crushing difference but we just couldn't stand by and do nothing. Our efforts were to some avail, I assume, Skywalker did receive the time he needed. But can you imagine the sense of loss I still felt when Padmé said you had left? I wanted to believe you would come back and things would go back to the way they had been but even when you did come back, you- you never came back to me."

Her throat was suddenly tight, the hitch in her voice giving her vulnerability away and she couldn't stand facing the shocked Force wielder anymore. She went to turn away, eyes squeezing shut to try and block out burning sensation that announced tears. 

"I am a colossal idiot."

Riyo's eyes shot up and she found Ahsoka already looking at her. She was about to agree with her statement but the words caught in her throat when felt a hand cup her face. There wouldn't have been enough time in the galaxy to steady herself for what happened next and so Riyo surrendered instead. As the Togruta leaned down, closing the distance between them, she closed her eyes. 

Though time realistically speaking never slowed but it might as well have stopped when their lips finally met, Riyo wouldn't have cared. Her life had flipped upside down entirely and this would probably add an extra layer of confusion to the mix but none of that matter at this moment. 

When the kiss inevitably came to an end Riyo took her chance and wrapped her arms around the taller woman's neck, drawing her in once more and oh stars, the result did not disappoint. 

It seemed that her little act of encouragement had ignited something in her old friend. There suddenly was a new urgency behind the kiss and Riyo felt a second hand reach down to her waist, applying gentle pressure that pushed her back again but this time she just gave in completely. 

Before she knew it she was backed against the side of the ship for the second time that night. She felt Ahsoka's hand warm against her body, pulling her closer while still making sure her back never left the wall. The kisses had turned harder, deeper than before but Riyo wouldn't have had it any other way. 

Then Ahsoka's lips pressed against her jaw, soon trailing kisses down her neck and couldn't contain the moan that had strained to escape her lips since their first kiss. She wanted her closer, dropping a hand to her back but before she could actually apply any pressure Ahsoka inhaled sharply and Riyo jerked back, hitting her head on the wall. 

"Oh no, I-" 

"I'm sorry, I didn't-" 

They both fell silent for second, lost in each other's eyes before Ahsoka grimaced in pain and her hand came away from her side, covered in blood. 

* * *

"You were right, you are a colossal idiot."

When Riyo shifted her gaze up, away from the wound she had just patched up with bacta-bandages, Ahsoka flashed her an apologetic smile. 

"At least I'm self-aware now?" 

The eye roll that followed transformed her smile into a grin. The pain in her side was starting to subside already and Ahsoka was just glad that the tension between them had resolved. Although, resolved my not be the right word. In the way Riyo regarded her was no anger anymore, or at the very least she hid it more effectively now. It had been replaced with something more familiar and even if Ahsoka couldn't pinpoint what it was, she knew it resembled the expression she had seen a hundred times before on that face. 

"That's hardly an accomplishment." 

She tilted her head in disagreement and went to stand when she heard Rex call out her name. 

Over their little, for a lack of better wording, incident Ahsoka had almost forgotten they weren't alone. 

"Sector is clear, Captain," she yelled back and seconds later Rex' head poked out behind the divider. 

"I didn't want to intrude but I see you're all fixed up now," he said and nervously ran a hand over the blonde stubble on his head, "we're about to reach the Alderaan system now. It's a sight to behold and I think one you would loathe to miss." 

The last part was more directed at Riyo whose head shot up at the mention of Alderaan. Rex extended a hand to help Ahsoka steady herself and the three of them made their way to the cockpit. They had each taken their seats when the ship left hyperspace and a planet popped up in front of them. It was a marvelous swirl of blue, green and white and Ahsoka swore she could hear a small gasp from Riyo's direction. 

A comfortable silence settled between them as they entered the planet's atmosphere. Before them spread a breathtaking landscape of snow-covered, sunbathed mountains and they watched in awe as the white soon gave way to the full green of forests.

Taking in the scenery, Riyo started to understand why Bail had chosen his home planet as base for his operation. The planet itself emitted a feeling that she was in dire need of herself and she turned her head to steal a look at Ahsoka sitting in the pilot's seat.

She hadn't felt like she had lost everything because in reality, she hadn't lost anything at all. Looking out at the planet that was an embodiment of life, next to the love she had thought lost for years and would never let go now that she had found her, Riyo let that feeling run through her.

For the first time since the Republic had fallen, Riyo felt hope.


End file.
